Switch.



W. R. ROSS.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.21, 1912 anucuto'v W12. Row,

Patented July 21, 1914 W. R. RUSS.

SWITCH. Arruonlou mun 16.21, 1012, I Patented July 21; 1914,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1gb: A? /J /7 V4 /a fizz/95W UNITED s'm'ras Parana OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. ROSS, OF MORRISDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH.

To all whom it more concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. Ross, a citizen of the United States, residing at Morrisdale, in the county of Clearfield and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Switches, of which the followin is a specification.

The invention re ates to switches and has for an object to provide a switch without a frog whereby the wheels of a vehicle can be guided: from the main track to the' branch or vice versa Without resulting in" the derailment of the vehicle.

The invention embodies, among other features, a pivotal rail section arranged at the juncture of the convergent rails of the main track and the branch track, with means for o erating the switch rail sections, whereby t e same, when in one position, will form a part of the main track and when in another position will form a part of the branch track, the points of the switch proper being operable in conjunction with the said switch rail section.

In the further disclosure of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings constituting a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the switch, the switch rail section bein shown in full lines as forming a part of t e main line and in dotted lines as forming a part of the branch line of the railway; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 44 in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the stand and operating mechanism; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the lates provided for limiting the throw of t e switch rail section.

Referring more particularly to therviews, use is made of a main track 10 incldding rails 10, and a branch track 11 including rails 11, one of the inner rails 10 of the main track 10 terminating in a movable switch point 10" and the inner rail 11 of the branch track 11 terminating in a switch point 11", the said switch points 10 and Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 21, 1912.

Patented July 21. 1 1 4.

Serial No. 716,252.

11' being connected by a bar 12 whereby the switch points will be moved simultaneously and equa distances so that when the switch point 11" engages the outer rail of the main track .10, the switch point 10 will be out of engagement with the outer rail of the side track so that the train or vehicle can readily pass from the main track on to the branch track, it being also seen that when the switch point 10 engages the outer rail of the side track, the switch point 11" will be disengaged from the outer rail of the main track so that the train, instead of passing from the main track on to the branch track, will re main on and continue along the main track.

The main and branch tracks 10 and 11 are mounted on the usual ties 13 and a plate 14 is arranged to extend across the top of a plurahty of ties 13 and is rigidly secured thereto at a point beneath the juncture of the inner rail 11 of the branch track 11 with the inner rail 10 of the main vtrack 10. An opening 15 is provided through the center of the plate 14 and through the center of the middle tie 13 of the three'ties over which "the plate 14 extends and mounted to turn therein is a vertically extending pin 16' secured to or'formed with a supporting plate 17 on which is mounted a switch rail section 18, sccured'to the supporting plate 17 by means of plates 19. At the juncture of the inner rail 11 of the branch track 11 and the innerrail 10 of the main track 10, gaps are formed in the respective inner and outer rails by cutting away portions thereof, the said gaps being equal in length to the length of the switch rail section 18, the said switch rail section 18 being movable on the plate 14 and center tie 13 to aline with the inner rail 11 of the branch track 11 or the inner rail 10 of the main track 10, as shown in dotted and full lines respectively in Fig. 1. In orderto limit the throw of the switch rail section 18 so that the same will properly aline either wit-h the inner rail of the main track 10 or the inner rail of the branch track 11, plates 20 are secured to a plurality of the ties 13, supporting the main track and branch track, with ends of the plates extending beyond the rigid portions of the rails of the branch track to form sto members 21, against which the ends oft e switch rail section 18 are adapted to abut, the said switch rail section, when in the abutting position mentioned, being in alinement with either the inner rail 10* of the main track 10 or the inner rail 11. of the branch track 11, as will be readily understood. Suitable braces 22 connect the plates with the plate 14 in order to rigidly secure the mentioned plates on the ties 13.

Bars 23 are slidably arranged between a plurality of the ties 13, adjacent the ends of the plate 14, and the said bars have pivotal connection with the ends of the switch rail section 18 at the points 24, the ends of the said bars being extended horizontally beyond the plane of the main track 10 and connected by a cross piece 25 provided at its center with -alaterally; extending arm 26, having pivotal connection with a rod 27 extended from both ends of a head 28, formed with the rod 27, the other end of the said rod having pivotal connection with a bell crank lever 29 mounted to swing on one of the ties l3 and having pivotal connection with the bar 12. The head 28 lies above a base 30 arranged to one side of the 1 main track 10 and having suitable uprights 31 secured in vertical not l t ion by braces 32, the said uprights being connected by superimposed cross pieces 33, an operating lever 34 being mounted to swing on the lower cross piece 33 and extending through a guide member 35 on the upper cross piece 33, the lower end of the operating lever 34 having pivotal connection with the head 28 as shown. A curved rack bar 36 is rigidly mounted on the uprights 31 and the teeth of the rack bar extend in opposite directions from the medial portion thereof, the said teeth being adapted to be engaged by a double locking pawl 37 mounted to swing on the upper end of the operating lever 34:, the said locking pawl being provided for locking the switch points 10 11 and the switch rail section 18 in closed position either with the main track 10 or the branch track 11.

Now by referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that when the switch point l0 engages the outer rail of the side track 10 so that a. train ad ancing along the main track will be prevented from passing on to the branch track. the switch rail section 18 will be in engagement with the inner rail of the main track and form a part thereof, thus closing the gap between the rails of the main track so that the train can advance along the main track without being derailed at the juncture of the inner rail of the main track and the inner rail of the branch track. At the mo ment the operating lever 34 is thrown in the opposite direction, the switch point 11 will be moved into engagement with the outer rail of the main track 10 and the switch point 10 will be moved out of engagement with the outer rail of the branch track. 11, while at the same time the switch rail section 18 will be actuated through the medium of the bars 23 and swung into engagement with the inner rail 11 of the branch track 11, thus closing the gap therein so that the train advancing alongthe main track 10 will pass on to the'branch track and pass beyond. the point of juncture of the inner rail 11 of the branch track with the inner rail 10 of the main track without being derailed.

Having thusdescribed my invention, I claim:

1. A railway switchcomprising a plate supported by the ties at the intersection of the inner rail of the main track and the inner rail of the branch track, a second plate superposed upon and pivotally connected with the middle portion of the first mentioned plate and to one of the ties to which the first named plate is secured, a. switchjail section mounted upon the second plate Iand adapted to turn with the latter and movable to aline with the inner rail of the main track or the inner rail of the branch track, plates disposed in rear and in advance of said first mentioned plates and secured to the rigid portions of the inner rail of the main track and the inner rail of the branch track and having their opposed edges formed with projecting ends adapted to be engaged by the said switch rail section to limit the throw of the switch rail section and retain the same in alinement with either the inner rail of the main track or the inner rail ofthe branch track, a pair of bars having pivotal connection with the underface of the base of said switch rail section at points ad 2. A railway switch comp-rising a plate supported by the ties at the intersection of the inner rail of the main track and the inner rail of the blranch track, a second plate pivotally supported by the first named plate and one of the ties to which the said first named plate is secured, a switch rail section mounted to turn with the second plate and movable to aline with the inner rail of the main track or inner railof the branch track, a plate secured in rear and in advance of the first mentioned plate and secured to the rigid portions of the inner rail of themain track and the inner rail of the branch track and having projecting ends adapted to be engaged by the said switch'rail section to limit the throw of the switch'rail section and retain the same in alinement with either the inner rail of the main track or the inner rail of the brandh track, means interconnectingthe first mentioned plate with the plates disposed in rear and in advance thereof, a pair of bars having pivotal connection with the terminal portions of said bars for causthe said switch rail section at points adjacent the terminal portions'thereof, said bars be ing extended beneath the latter mentioned I means {and terminating beyond 0116 of the i main rail sections, and means connected with Witnesses:

Gxnmm'r HILL,

F. T. VATKINS.

In. twtimsmy whereof I affix my signature 1n presm'wa 0f two wflnesses.

W'HALIAM R. ROSS i ng the operation of said switch rail section. a 

